SDE Seminar Helps Educators Learn the Principles and Strategies to Improve Student Math

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Oct 10, 2014, 08:45 ET

PETERBOROUGH, N.H., Oct. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore Math is a true breakthrough in math instruction. It has been proven to radically transform math instruction by helping students improve their skills in critical thinking, math vocabulary, algebra, problem solving, computation, and mental math. Now, Staff Development for Educators invites educators to discover how this method can increase student achievement and build practical applications in the classroom.

Staff Development for Educators' (SDE) seminar on Singapore Math: Strategies That Work in Every Classroom, offered this fall for teachers of grades 1-5, is designed to be hands-on and provide engaging how-to's to help students truly learn the principles to improve their number sense, mental math, and problem-solving skills. This powerful, two-day seminar will help teachers learn the what, why, and how of the innovative Singapore method of instruction, and will challenge them to discover how these strategies support existing math curriculum and accelerate math achievement in the classroom.

In this seminar, veteran classroom teacher and math authority Michael Godfrey will guide educators through the methods that Singapore educators use to teach computation with an emphasis on place value and mental math. Godfrey will also illustrate Singapore's breakthrough model drawing approach—which provides students with the skills to effectively translate word problems into meaningful diagrams using an easy step-by-step process.

Godfrey, a knowledgeable and inspiring presenter, has spent nearly thirty years in the classroom, teaching students in a wide range of grades and abilities. Godfrey's approach to math instruction was dramatically transformed when he discovered Singapore Math Model Drawing. He has spent the last 13 years as his district's gifted intervention specialist.

"I found success when I began integrating the best practices adapted from Singapore Math's place value and computation into my instruction," explains Godfrey. "You can do the same…these strategies helped me make math meaningful and build math confidence in all of my students."

Teachers will discover how to translate Singapore's powerful concrete-pictorial-abstract instructional sequence into practical applications in the classroom, while they gain new insight into building a solid number sense foundation using place value, computation and mental math. Godfrey will explore ways to develop learners' algebraic thinking and mental math skills with easy-to-teach and easy-to-learn techniques, and will provide teachers with ready-to-use tools to adequately measure student learning. Teachers will leave the seminar feeling confident and competent in their abilities to teach Singapore Math—and with the assurance that all strategies included work with any existing math curriculum.

Singapore Math: Strategies That Work in Every Classroom helps take the guess work out of HOW to teach math the way today's rigorous standards require, and allows teachers to bring home ready-to-use ideas for getting students exploring, manipulating, talking about, and understanding Singapore Math. Godfrey's innovative strategies, interactive hands-on activities, and video examples from real classrooms will help teachers be poised and ready to engage with their students. After two days with Godfrey, teachers will be thrilled with the new tools they've acquired to make math more fun and engaging for their students—and themselves.

The seminar is designed for new and veteran teachers alike.

"These are days of hands-on learning that you won't want to miss," says Godfrey. "I can't wait to share the simple tools that will make your math classroom a place where students build deep understanding of number sense…and experience just how fun math can be."

Staff Development for Educators is America's leading provider of professional development for PreK through Grade 12 educators. SDE believes that educators have the most important job in the world. That's Through Onsite PD, PD Events, Web-based PD, and PD Resources, the company empowers teachers and administrators across the country with ongoing professional development that is not only research-based, innovative, and rigorous, but also practical, motivating, and fun. All SDE training is presented by the nation's top authors and educational experts, with the goal of creating extraordinary classrooms that prepare students for the evolving demands of the 21^st century.

All SDE events include a free resource book of handouts, lesson ideas, reproducibles, and more, and a free 30-day membership at TeachingMadeEasier.com. With the paid registration of a staff member, SDE extends free tuition to a principal from the same building, and also offers group discounts for groups of 10+ and 20+.

Singapore Math: Strategies That Work in Every Classroom will be offered in Minneapolis, MN on November 5-6^th, Joliet, IL on November 12-13^th, and Savannah, GA on December 9-10^th. Educators interested registering for this seminar, or learning about more about SDE's national conferences, upcoming SDE events, or other professional development opportunities, can visit www.SDE.com, call 1-800-462-1478, or email [email protected].